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Sudan 'to accept UN Darfur force' | |
(about 12 hours later) | |
Outgoing UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has said he believes Sudan is set to approve the deployment of a joint UN-African Union force in Darfur. | |
Until now, President Omar al-Bashir has consistently opposed any involvement of the UN in the western region. | |
However, Sudanese officials say the government has now accepted the idea of a "hybrid" force of peacekeepers, including UN personnel. | |
Fighting in Darfur has killed some 200,000 people since early 2003. | |
More than two million have been displaced. | |
The conflict began when a rebellion by local groups triggered a counter-offensive by the army and government-backed Arab militias. | |
Q&A: Peacekeeping in Darfur | Q&A: Peacekeeping in Darfur |
Last week, the US warned Sudan it would face unspecified sanctions if it did not agree to an international peacekeeping force for Darfur by January. | |
Mr Annan made his comments after what he described as encouraging reports from his envoy, who had spoken to Mr Bashir. | |
The reports "encourage me to think we may tomorrow (Saturday) receive a green light from President Bashir", he said. | The reports "encourage me to think we may tomorrow (Saturday) receive a green light from President Bashir", he said. |
The outgoing UN chief added he also expected Mr Bashir to agree to a ceasefire and moves to restart talks with Darfur political groups. | |
But he added that he took nothing for granted after "so many disappointments". | |
'Supporting role' | |
The BBC's Jonathan Beale says Sudan appears to have bowed to considerable international pressure. | |
He adds that there are still areas of contention - Sudan wants the AU to stay in command of the force, and Khartoum has not said how many UN troops will be allowed on the ground - but this does appear to be a step forward. | |
As of now it is still mainly the African troops, the African peacekeeping troops who are going to be the main ones handling the situation John Ucek, Sudanese ambassador in Washington | |
The UN had wanted to deploy an extra 20,000 peacekeepers to bolster the existing weak AU force of 7,000 soldiers. | |
The Sudanese ambassador in Washington, John Ucek, told the BBC that the UN force, whatever its size, would have a supporting role - and that the AU peacekeepers would be in charge. | |
"We had differences over three things - that is the command over the force, the nature of the force and the issue of the envoy. And these are the things we have cleared up now. | |
"The fact that we are going to have a UN peacekeeping force as a support to the AU peacekeeping force, there is no difference in our position. | |
"As of now it is still mainly the African troops, the African peacekeeping troops who are going to be the main ones handling the situation. The UN is still in support. | |
"Whatever their number is, they are still there to support the African Union peacekeeping force." | |
Violence has escalated sharply in Darfur in the last few weeks. | |
Late last week, the AU blamed the deteriorating security situation on the re-emergence of the pro-government Arab Janjaweed militias, and urged Khartoum to disarm the groups. | |
Aid agencies have withdrawn 250 workers this month, leaving many in Darfur vulnerable. |